Revealed: The public bike path that would cut through The King’s School grounds

Cyclists would be able to ride through The King’s School land under a council proposal to run a 1.1-kilometre cycleway and walking path across the northern edge of the private school’s grounds.

Parramatta Council wants to establish a formal bike path that would stretch through a section of the school’s parkland, a move it says would provide “significant benefit to the community” by cutting cyclists’ travel time and encouraging more active transport use.

Parramatta Council wants to create a formal bike and walking path along Hunts Creek to Lake Parramatta through the northern edge of The King’s School. Credit: Nick Moir

The proposed shared cycling and walking path would run along Hunts Creek in a bid to create easier access between Carlingford and Lake Parramatta.

As part of public consultation for the City of Parramatta’s bike plan, the council said The King’s School was supportive of “formal access to the path in principle as it aligns with their desire to support community access”, while also helping to regulate existing informal use.

“A connection along Hunts Creek would be of significant benefit to the community, providing a pleasant, shorter natural experience to the alternatives of North Rocks Road and Pennant Hills Road,” a council document said.

“The plan identifies a long-standing community desire to connect the regionally significant Lake Parramatta and the Hunts Creek walking and cycling path network.”

The King’s School said it is committed to finding ways that allow members of the community to benefit from the amenities of the school.Credit: Wolter Peeters

King’s in North Parramatta is the country’s oldest private school and sits on a 130-hectare campus which includes 17 ovals and playing fields.

A school spokesman said it was “committed to finding ways that allow members of the community to benefit from the amenities of the school” while also providing for their safety and wellbeing.

The proposal was contained in a submission to the NSW government’s review into section 83C of the Education Act, which looked at the effectiveness of the laws that determine how private schools can use $1.6 billion in state government funding each year.

The review, led by Tom Alegounarias, was released this month and found private schools were ending up in “too many costly legal disputes” from a lack of clarity around the legislation.

Under the Education Act, private schools that get taxpayer money must operate on a not-for-profit basis, meaning a school’s income and assets must only be used for the operation of the school.

Parramatta Council’s submission said King’s had told council officers that the rules prevent a formal public access path as it was “not core to the activities” of the school.

King’s approached the NSW Education Department for clarification if the path would be allowed but was told it risked of breaching the not-for-profit requirements.

“Council requests consideration by the government that non-government schools be allowed to open their grounds for the use of the community for open space and recreation needs,” the council’s submission said.

In his review, Alegounarias said any change to the regulations should make it clear that schools should not be limited in making resources available for community use.

“Schools are funded partly for their contribution to a public purpose, consistent with their educational mission. The review believes that all schools – including non-government schools – who benefit from any measure of public funding share in a responsibility to support a shared community ethos,” the review said.

“Local government arrangements, or not-for-profit community groups or general community access, or reasonable shared use with other schools, should be regarded as positive, and not fettered by the
application of regulation.”

A NSW Education Department spokesperson said the review recommended giving greater clarity over shared or joint use of assets and land use agreements. Changes to the rules are expected to be in place by mid-2025.

Parramatta Council said that if public access can be secured, it could investigate improving the existing informal path and managing ongoing maintenance.

“Likely community outcomes for this link would be increased active transport usage, travel time savings and improved mental and physical health.”

The council said when a landowner was supportive of public use of its land, it could negotiate a licence or easement over the land to formalise this access. “Currently, the community informally use Hunts Creek to walk through the school, however it is unregulated and at the users’ own risk.”

Parramatta Mayor Pierre Esber said the council was under pressure to provide greater access to public open space, and is investing in almost 20 kilometres of new bike paths over the next three years.

“We have about 60 sporting fields but could do with more. We don’t have the luxury of acres and acres of open space like the Blue Mountains and Penrith local government areas so we need to take whatever open space we can get,” he said.

Last year North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker wrote to private school principals within her local area, including Shore School, Loreto Kirribilli, Wenona and Redlands, asking them to consider sharing their facilities with locals and public school students.

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